We invite owners and restorers of our nation's aviation treasures to apply to become
part of our next National Aviation Heritage Invitational competition. All aircraft
applications are reviewed by the five member judging team and those accepted will
be judged in five categories: Antique, Classic, Contemporary, Military and Large Aircraft.
All aircraft must be at least 45 years old and restored to airworthy condition.

The National Aviation Heritage Invitational shares it's home and mission with the
Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum's Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center.

Apply Now... We invite all those who own an aircraft that fit the Invitational
Judging Criteria to apply.

Come share your own piece of aviation history with us at Reno and compete
to be enshrined in the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum!

Fred Telling, Chairman and CEO of the Reno Air Racing Association, announced today (July 11, 2018) that RARA and the National Aviation Heritage Invitational (NAHI) have reached an agreement which will bring NAHI back to the STIHL National Championship Air Races for 2018 and for many years to come.

For 2018, NAHI and RARA will host a display of vintage aircraft to celebrate NAHI's return to the STIHL National Championship Air Races. Beginning in 2019, NAHI will have a full vintage aircraft competition including judging in multiple categories and hosting the People's Choice Award, which is sponsored by Air & Space Smithsonian magazine.

"There is little value in insuring the survival of our nation if our traditions
do not survive with it."

The concept for the National Aviation Heritage Invitational arose in the 1990's at the
Reno Air Races when representatives from Rolls-Royce, The Smithsonian National Air and
Space Museum, The National Aviation Hall of Fame and the Reno Air Racing Foundation got
together to discuss the future of aviation in our country. We all agreed that one of the
key factors in encouraging future generations to appreciate and select aviation as a
career path was to educate and enlighten them about our rich aviation history.

We knew not everyone can travel to the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum in
Washington DC to see their outstanding collection of preserved vintage aircraft, and we
were looking for an alternative solution. We collectively decided to create a "Traveling Aviation Museum"
which would bring World Class restorations to tens of thousands of individuals in the USA.
This Traveling Aviation Museum ultimately became the National Aviation Heritage Invitational (NAHI).

Right from the beginning, the NAHI team set the bar extremely high. We all believed that
"beauty is more than skin deep", so we decided each aircraft would be judged by the strict
standards established by representatives of the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum. We
also agreed that this competition would be held to such a high standard that the winners deserved
to be honored in a very special way. The National Aviation Hall of Fame agreed to bring Hall of
Fame Enshrinees each year to help present trophies to the category winners and the Grand Champion.
Enshrinees such as Neil Armstrong, Bob Hoover, Jim Lovell, Gene Cernan, Dick Rutan, Bud Anderson,
Herb Kelleher, and many others have shown their appreciation and respect for the restorers of these
fine aircraft by personally participating in the trophy presentations.

To date, NAHI has hosted over 20 vintage aircraft competitions at both the Dayton Airshow and
the Reno Air Races. Over this period, several hundred thousand fans and guests have viewed these
great aviation treasures first hand.

Starting in 2017, the California Capital Airshow will become the new home for this competition
and showcase of fine vintage aircraft.

The National Aviation Heritage Invitational is more than a vintage aircraft restoration competition;
it is about Honoring Our Past and Inspiring Our Future.